Rapunzel and I

One of the great things about EFY is that it gave me cause to look at myself in a different light.  I wanted to let my kids know why I'm jaundice, but I wanted a fun and positive way to explain it.  So I thought of something brilliant.  I would tell my kids that my skin glows like Rapunzel's hair in Tangled.  It worked for them, for my fellow counselors, and even for me.  The past four weeks when I've told people they've been like "It's so true, you glow."  It's so much better to be told that you glow rather than looking at yourself like an ugly neon light.  And as we discussed the theme Arise and Shine and how these kids can get the glow of the Spirit by living the gospel I realized that "glowing" is a good thing.  I'm glad to "glow".

Boys vs. Guys vs. Men (Part Two)

A year and a half ago, I wrote a post talking about the difference between boys, guys, and men based mainly off of Jane Austen novels, my own limited observations of the "male species", and a deep discussion with my beloved roommates.  I feel like I've learned more about men and the making of men in the past month at EFY than I had in my whole entire life.

Boys: Most 14-15 year old and some 16-18 year old boys fall under the category of "boy", immature, obnoxious, and scared but not about to let anyone see that side.

Guys: Most 16-18 year old, a few 14 year old boys, and a few counselors would be considered "guys", fun to hang out with, think they are so cool, and think that they know everything.

Men: Most EFY counselor are MEN in every sense of the word.  They are responsible, mature, fun, and spiritual giants. Men respect women and treat them like queens and men love the Lord and put Him first.  I have never met so many men in my life as I have as an EFY counselor.  I have never felt so respected.  I feel better about myself when I'm around these men.  And I can tell these men love the Lord and they love all those that they are around.  And these men have such a tremendous effect for good.  These men transform these boys and guys around them into men in less than a week.  I've seen it happen every week.  These boys and guys learn what a real man is like and how to become one.  These boys and guys learn how to treat women.  And these boys, guys, and men are lifting all the girls and women they are around and helping them to become better.

Basically this is a big thank you to all of my lovely co-counselor's and to all the other male counselor's I've encountered the past few weeks.  You men are so awesome!!

Just so you know these men aren't the only men I've ever encountered.  My dad is an awesome man and he has taught my brother to become an awesome man as well.  I especially got to witness last week on our family vacation.  I also have awesome grandfather's, uncle's, and cousins who are great men as well.  And this past year I have gotten to know the awesome men that are in my ward.

Thanks you men for lifting me up and making me want to become a better person.

Another Late Night

I'm up late again, chilling in the stairwell, making sure none of the EFY Friday night lock down "prisoners" don't escape.  The keys are collected, damage reports completed, I'm listening to my Walt Disney Pandora channel, reading some General Conference talks, finishing up my tenth journal and beginning my eleventh journal.  I love EFY. It's weird to think that I'm not going to be doing this for another three weeks.  EFY has consumed my life this past month and I've loved it.  I'm exhausted and I could use a break, but part of me really doesn't want a break.  It's so cool to actually be making a difference by what I'm doing.  Even if I just touch one or two lives for good, it's so worth it.  I love going to bed exhausted because I've been serving others and my Savior.  And bringing these girls and boys closer to Him has brought me closer to Him.  I've made some awesome friends.  I've learned what it means to be truly respected by men and I've learned what it looks like when a man loves the Lord with all his heart.  I've learned that I need to learn how to work in a partnership better.  I've learned that I hate disciplining people, even when it's necessary and in their best interests.  I've learned that people get scared when you threaten to go all "Lamanite mother" on them.  I've been able to glimpse Heavenly Father's love for these kids.  I've learned how much I've learned over the past seven years of my life.  I've learned a lot since I was fourteen.  And when I'm twenty eight I'll be like "I've learned a lot since I was twenty one."  I want my kids to know that life gets better than it is at fourteen.  It really truly does.

Holy Spiderman's Tooth Brush!

I'm blogging again!

It's been a while. I've finished another semester and started a new job. I turned 21 and celebrated in the Sunny South when my family.  I got my "adult" drivers license and I went to the temple with an old roommate.

I just finished Heaven Is Here by Stephanie Nielson and it's pretty much amazing, everyone should read it.  Now I'm about a third of the way through the first book of The Hunger Games but it's common knowledge that book is amazing.  I still haven't watched the movie yet.  I've also been reading The Emerald City of Oz which I think is probably one of the funniest books I have ever read.  My favorite part of that book is when the evil nome general is trying to get the Whimsies, strong creatures with tiny heads who wear huge fake heads made out of pasteboard, to join in his evil plot to capture a magic belt.  He tells them his plan which they agree to.  Then comes my favorite part of the book:

"One Whimsie alone seemed to have a glimmer of sense, for he asked: 'Suppose we fail to capture the Magic Belt? What will happen then, and What good will all our fighting do?' But they threw him into the river for asking foolish questions, and laughed when the water ruined his pasteboard head before he could swim out again."

I've been thinking a lot about attitude lately. There are some people who just naturally have a good attitude and are optimistic.  It doesn't matter if life dumps a butt-load-of-crap on them, their still happy and find the good in life.  And some people are really good at hiding their trials, at making it seem like nothing bad ever happens to them.  I'm not naturally like that, I'm pretty open about my problems and I have a tendency and if I get mad or frustrated I'm not good at hiding it.  I have to remind myself to use my filter.  Whether I'm mad about politics, network TV, personal stuff or whatever other random things I get upset about, everybody doesn't need to know about it all the time and life's still good even when things aren't perfect.  I'm trying to give myself an attitude adjustment and I'm trying to learn to be as happy and optimistic as so many people that I know who I so admire.

The chorus of Kelly Clarkson's newest song "Stronger" pretty much explains how I feel about life.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone"

And I've pretty much been OBSESSED with anything and everything to do with Mr. Alex Goot and Mr. Chad Sugg.  Seriously. OBSESSED. I spend hours listening to their covers, their original songs, and watching their vlogs while working on homework, studying, filling out paper work, chilling at the hospital getting my blood sucked out of me, and just chilling doing nothing.  It was hard to pick a favorite to share on the blog, but I absolutely love their cover of Call Me Maybe.  It's way better than the original.  But I also love What Makes You Beautiful, Wizards (love the Harry Potter reference), Pumped Up Kicks, and Stereo Hearts (how many guys can pull of singing in a spider man costume and use star wars references and still make me want to marry them?  not many!).  I can't decide who I love more, Alex or Chad.  I pretty much just want to marry both of them.

And yes, I've shared this video on Facebook, Pinterest, and now my blog.  I'm slightly obsessed.  

(If any of those boys gave me their number, I would call them.  And it's true, all the girls want their babies.)

Community has been renewed (even if it is just for a short season)! Cool.  Cool cool cool.

Happy News!

I'm Going To Be An 

EFY COUNSELOR

Summer 2012!!

I'm going to go do a happy dance!

YAY!!!

I am a Human Development and Family Studies Major

There.

I said it.

And I didn't qualify it.

Every single time someone asks me the inevitable college get to know you question I get a little nervous.  The second I say "Human Development" I get "the look".  I know that look, because I used to give that look.  It's the look that says "What in the world do you expect to do with that major?  Get your MRS degree and then start popping out babies and be a stay at home mom?  What if something happens and you have to provide for your family?  You can't provide for a family with that degree!" And like I said, I used to give "that look" too.  I remember going on a campus tour at BYU and passing the building that they said is where all the family and consumer sciences classes are.  I scoffed and thought to myself "Yeah, all the girls who are counting on getting married, dropping out of college, and being taken care of the rest of their lives. Ha."  Yeah, I was a little judgmental when I was seventeen.  Just a little bit. But I could be because I knew everything back then. I digress.  A few years, a little experience, and a lot of prayers later here I am trying to come to terms with my major.  I always feel like I have to defend what I am studying and why I am studying it.  My answer is almost always "My major is Human Development it's the program that will help me become a Child Life Specialist which is kind of like a play therapist at a hospital." It's a long and awkward explanation. But after that long explanation everyone is pretty much like "Ok, so you actually have a plan for your life." But at the same time I get tired of explaining myself and my life plans in the first five minutes of meeting someone.  And there is a part of me that thinks that I shouldn't have to explain myself and my choice of major to the world.

I was thinking about this today.  I was also thinking about the classes I'm taking and how they relate to families.   I was listening to the Mormon Channel program about families. I realized that this is my way to help families.  It is something that I have control over that will be helping families.  The family is under attack. This is how I can help the family. I realized that I don't have to explain or defend myself and my major and I don't have to feel like I'm pursuing a major that isn't really a good major.  It is an excellent major.  I am glad to be a Human Development and Family Studies Major.

NYC According To My Ipod

I had to share this funny video of Mason on our trip.  It doesn't have any sound, but just imagine him saying "Ah ba ah ba ah!"

This is where John Lennon died.  Had to have a Beatles reference picture haha.

It's a Big Apple in the Big Apple haha.

The museum that Night At The Museum takes place in.  Brought me back to Grad Night!

So weird to think so many of these people are now married, engaged, on missions, and doing other awesome things with their lives.

Ok, back to the present and NYC!  Haha :)

NYC Skyline

The Plaza Hotel. I was excited to see it because it was in one of my favorite movies ever , Bride Wars.

Our biggest adventure of the trip was being stuck on an airplane in the rain.  The story is coming up!

NYC Scenes Continued

First sight of the Angel Moroni in Manhattan.

Mason didn't want me to take a picture haha.

This is where we had breakfast and "the best cheesecake in America".  Yummy!  

Awesome weekend

This past weekend was amazing!

First my roomies came down to the sunny south to visit! They came early in the morning so we could play before I had to work that afternoon. We ha breakfast at Dennys and while we waited forever for our food we talked and laughed and caught up on old times. After breakfast we went to walmart to make a care packet for one of our awesome roomies who wasn't able to make the trip. While there we browsed through walkways super collection of $5 movies, played with the toys (so many tangled toys!) we stopped and smelled the candles, looked at the fake flowers, and took pictures with lamp shades on our heads! Yeah we're super silly! I had so much fun and it brought me back to last year! I love and miss those girls so much! I want to go back to my home away from home with my family away from family!

After work my family and I played an epic game of monopoly. I won for the first time ever! Yeah I kicked their butts! I was so happy!

Then on Sunday I got a ride to church with my super handsome neighbor and his friends sat by me during sacrament meeting. This is the first time since moving down that somebody has sat with me during sacrament and it meant more to me then they'll probably ever know. Then I taught my first Sunday school lesson. So intimidating! There were so many people in my class! I don't think I made much sense during my lesson I was kind of all over the place (it was kind of like random thoughts with Kelsi guided by the lesson manual and the spirit). And I was shaking like crazy during the whole lesson!  I learned a lot while preparing for the lesson, I just don't know that I was able to transfer everything I learned to my huge intimidating class. But it's over (for a week at least). I guess this is a chance for me to develop a new talent for teaching?

One of the main reasons I didn't want to move back home to the "Sunny South" was because I don't particularly like the YSA ward that I would be in down here.  I have only attended this YSA ward once but it was really awkward and I didn't really feel welcome.  It's a lot of people from my old high school who attend.  I kind of like to leave high school in the past as much as possible.  But my thinking is that if I don't attend this YSA ward and try to get a little bit involved, my summer is going to insist going to work for hours and then coming home and chilling out there.  There will be no social environment if I don't go.  So I need to go.  I know that logically.  But I still have this feeling of dread washing over me as I consider how I need to start getting ready and go over there.  I want my old YSA ward back.  I liked it.  A lot.  It was safe and comfortable and I knew that I belonged there.  Yet here I am.  I'm about to go to the uncomfortable and awkward YSA ward and be brought right back to who I was in high school.

It's Springtime!

It's the most wonderful weather of the year! The sun shines, the breeze blows softly, the birds sing, the flowers bloom, the grass turns green, the shade of a big tree feels like heaven. 

I love Spring.  It makes me happy.

The problem is that as soon as that wonderful weather hits and it gets so close to finals and summertime that I can almost taste it, my motivation disappears into thin air.  Homework?  Who wants to do homework?  I'd rather sit outside and read.  Or take a nap in the shade.  Or go on a walk.  Or do anything else other than homework (or cleaning or work). Homework?  What homework?  Yet I'm not able to fully enjoy the beauty around me because there is this nagging little thought in the back of my mind (you should be doing homework. No I shouldn't!  Shut up!) What can I say, I've got spring fever and I can feel summer coming on just around the corner.  My mind is everywhere except on what I should be doing right now.  I'm hoping to find some motivation soon.

I am...dare I say it? Bored?!?!

Boredom is a beautiful thing.

Boredom means you have all the time in the world to do what ever you want to do.  I can't even remember the last time I was bored.  It is an amazing luxury.  I mean I suppose I could work on homework, but I spent along time yesterday finishing up my book report, which got an A, and I don't have anything due for awhile so I'm taking a break, watching Inception and Hairspray. Or I could work on finding a job.  I got to go on a walk, the weather was beautiful here.  I'm nervous and excited for my date tomorrow.  I'll keep you posted.  I'm excited for summer. It's so close I can almost taste it!

It's been a long time

It's been a long time since I last blogged.  I don't know why I struggle with blogging so much, but I do.  Here is what is new since the last time I blogged.

1. My major - I changed from Pre-Med to Child Life Specialist.  Basically I'm going to be helping kids get over the emotional trauma of hospital visits and procedures.
2. I've moved back home for the summer.  Yay for no rent and free food!! And I get to chill with awesome people at home too.  :)
3. I turned 19.  That one sneaked up on me.
4. I've been working ALL the time, earning lots of money.  And I'll be spending all that money in late July and August.  Yay for college!!
5. I just got back from a vacation to Hawaii!!  It was gorgeous!!  I got to snorkel, kayack, visit Pearl Harbor, visit the Polynesian Cultural Center (and fall in love with a Maori warrior, but that's another story haha), meet up with old friends, and spend lots and lots of time on the beach, working on my tan of course.  :)

Yep that pretty much covers my life. I've decided to set a goal to find something to blog about at least once a week.  And I'm going to try to keep my camera near by so hopefully I can add some pictures to this blog.  But I'm not a very good photographer so we'll see how that goes. That's all.